Trail of Memory
by KittieMcDowell
Summary: Almost a year after Donovan's mysterious escape from Weapon X... (sequel to Wrong Crowd) lots of Rogue finally!
1. And So it Begins

Disclaimer:  I, sadly, don't own any of the characters that Marvel has so generously created for our entertainment purposes.  I do, however, own  Donovan Milady, Jennifer Granger, and any other character that you'd probably not recognize within this and other fictions (unless, of course, it's some really obscure Marvel character, in which you may not recognize him/her but I don't own that character, either).  I'm writing this before I write the actual story (bold of me, I'm aware) so I have no idea whether or not I'll be owning any other characters by the story's end.  In the mean time, ENJOY!!

And So it Begins

            Donovan Milady is a smart, successful, and suave young woman in her late teens.  She has light brown hair that trails down to the middle of her back and large brown eyes.  She wears thin, frameless glasses and smart looking business suits that make her look professional even with the gray skin and wings that she drapes over her shoulders.

            Warren Worthington III has provided Donovan with everything she has ever dreamed of.  She is the events manager of the Worthington Enterprises branch in Boston.  She had studied basic business and marketing in high school with the hopes of starting and running her own trade corporation.  Since her dreams had been dashed when her wings grew in and her skin turned gray, she thought she would have to spend the rest of her life scrounging for food and shelter.

            Donovan had lived that life until Warren Worthington had found her.  Someone had stolen his wallet and he was chasing him when he stumbles across Donovan, a young girl in need of serious medical attention.  She was covered in blood and vomit and screaming incoherently about being used.

            Unfortunately, Donovan doesn't remember the events prior to landing in that alley.  She remembers being thrown out of her house for being a mutant, though she can't remember how old she was.  She doesn't know whether she graduated high school, though she remembers what she was good at and what she liked to do.  She doesn't remember exactly when she was thrown out or how long she'd been living on the streets.

            None of these questions keep Donovan up at night, however.  She is absolutely content with her life.  Every once in a while she wonders what caused the scars on her face and neck.  Thin, long lines run from her right ear to the corner of her mouth and from underneath her lower lip to her left shoulder.  They are very small, though, and she barely thinks about them.

            Every morning she gets up to eat her small breakfast and prepare for her day.  She lives in a penthouse where she has roof access.  She climbs the long staircase to the roof and stares out over the scenic Boston skyline.  She spreads her powerful wings and swoops down over the still sleeping city.  She's sure that a few people may see her but that doesn't keep her from soaring the sky as a morning exercise.  She loves the feel of the wind in her hair and the weightlessness of flight.  On land she feels heavy and awkward, her skin being made of a strange stone-like substance but in the air, she feels more natural than she's ever felt in her entire life.

            After her morning flight, Donovan showers and dresses for the day.  She does most of her work at home on her computer, using the Internet to communicate with her co-workers.  It works well for all cases because most of her co-workers, though impressed with her mind and ambition, are very uncomfortable with her appearances.  Rather than cause them discomfort, she stays at home unless it's absolutely necessary to go to the office.  This ends up being the best way to do business with other companies as well.  Most are not as accepting as Worthington Enterprises tends to be.  Despite the discomfort, Worthington Enterprises' employees are much more open-minded than most companies.

            The phone rings early one morning, after Donovan's early morning flight.  Donovan raises and eyebrow and wipes her forehead with a towel before picking the telephone up.  "Hello?"

            "Donovan Milady," a female voice says slowly.  Donovan doesn't recognize the voice at all but her sensitive ears detect that there may be something mechanical about it.  "My name is Jennifer Granger, a former associate of yours.  I have arranged a meeting for you and another former colleague of yours.  I'd recommend that you meet me when I call you with more information.  A life depends on it."

            The dial tone sounds before Donovan can say anything.  She puts down the receiver and drops onto her couch.  She buries her face in her hands.  _What the hell was that about?  Who could be in trouble because of me?_

Donovan doesn't get any work done for the next few days, waiting by her phone for the call that doesn't come.  Finally, she receives a call from Warren Worthington on the fourth day.  "Donovan, what are you doing?  You're killing your chance of promotion!  What the hell is going on?"

            Donovan tells him everything.  She is sobbing.  "What the hell happened to me before you found me?  I thought I was just one of the dumb kids you find after they get thrown out for being a mutant.  But something else must have happened or else this person wouldn't be calling!"

            "Maybe this person's messing with you, Donovan.  You don't know anything about what happened and someone's playing off of that.  You can't get yourself worked up over that," Warren says gently. "Has he called you again since?"

            "No," Donovan says.  "But the more I think about it, I think I recognized the voice.  She sounded so familiar but I can't place where I might have met her," she shakes her head in frustration.  "Maybe you're right.  I'll start catching up tonight, okay?"

            Warren's voice is warm.  "That's a girl.  Everything's going to be all right.  I'll fly out there on Monday to help you with any other promo work, okay?"

            "Thanks, Warren.  You're the best," Donovan hangs up the phone and gets up to dress.  She has to actually go to the office directly to get someone of the files necessary to finish the next month's events calendar.  She sighs.  She has a lot of catch up to do.

            The phone rings again.  Donovan grins and picks it up.  "I'm already on my way, Warren.  You're so fussy…"

            "This isn't Mr. Worthington, Miss Milady," the voice from earlier that week says.  "I've arranged a meeting place and a special welcome for you.  Check your email and you'll find the coordinates for a small cabin in Canada.  Be there at nine o'clock am on Thursday morning.  If you don't, her blood will be on your hands."

            "Wait!  Who is this? Who's going to die because of me?" Donovan asks frantically.  "Who are you?"

            She is answered by the dial tone.  She curses angrily and slams the receiver down.  She takes a deep breath and calls Warren.  "Slight change of plans, pal."

            "That person called?" Warren barely says it as a question.  "What are you going to do?"

            "The only thing that I can, Warren," Donovan says.  "If this person knows who I was before I met you, I have to find out.  What if I'm not Donovan Milady after all?  What if everything I think I know is wrong?"

            Warren sighs.  "And what if it isn't?"

            "Then I have to find out who's trying to mess with my head, Warren," Donovan says quietly.  "I have to figure this all out."

            "Then my best wishes go with you," Warren says.  "But you have to tell me where you're going.  I don't want one of my favorite employees running off into a potentially dangerous situation.  If you need back up for anything…"

            Donovan smiles.  "You'll be first on my list of people to call, Warren.  I promise."

THURSDAY:

            Donovan gets ready to board the charter plane destined for a small landing strip near Great Slave Lake near the Canadian Rockies.  She had done as much research as she could to be as well prepared for her trip as possible but had turned up almost no information on the place or anything even remotely near by.  She is packed very lightly, not knowing what to expect.

            "Donovan!" a voice shouts.  Donovan turns and sees Warren running toward her, his shaggy blond hair a tousled mess.  He is out of breath by the time he catches up to her.  He is holding a duffel bag.  "I can't let you do this alone, Donovan.  Not when something might happen to you."

            "Warren, you've got a business to run.  This could be dangerous," Donovan says.  "You can't come with me."

            Warren hands the pilot, a short, stocky man who is smoking a hideous smelling cigar, a large wad of cash.  "This is for taking on another passenger, my good man.  Be a pal and wait inside the plane for us?"

            The pilot shrugs and stuffs the money into his pocket.  "Sure, what the hell.  See ya when ya board," he gets into the plane quickly.

            "There's nothing I can do to change your mind?" Donovan asks, but she is smiling.  She is grateful that Warren will be joining her.  She is very scared and welcomes the chance to have support.

            "Not a thing," Warren says.  "Ladies first."

            Donovan boards the plane and is followed by Warren.  Once they're belted in, the pilot begins take-off procedures.  Within minutes, the pair of wealthy, flying mutants is on its way to the unknown.


	2. Little By Little

Little By Little

            Jennifer Granger is a changed woman.  Of course, for her that has nothing to do with a change of heart.  She is still a woman who has only her own interest at heart.  Her interests haven't even changed so much since she last encountered Donovan Milady.  In the long run, she would like to have Donovan as a partner in her endeavors.  But right now, her main focus is on getting revenge for the hell Donovan has put her through.

            Nearly a year ago, Jennifer winces at the forced memory, Donovan had left Jennifer to die at the hands of Sabretooth, a feral mutant with a grudge against Jennifer.  She had stood by as Sabretooth mercilessly mauled her to the brink of death, shared words with the beast as Jennifer lay dying at their feet, and then had allowed Sabretooth to lead her out of the Weapon X hell hole.  All this as Jennifer lay bleeding to death on the cold floor.

            But Jennifer had not been allowed to die that die.  No, the Weapon X facilitators, specifically a man named Colonel John Wraith, had other plans in store for the young woman whose given mutant ability was the power to diminish or enhance another mutant's abilities.  After finding her, they conducted horrible experiments on her, hoping to tap into what gave her the power over another person's genes and control.  Unable to extract that information, Jennifer Granger was to become a mutant killing machine.

            The X-Men had been able to put a stop to the Weapon X project before they could wipe Jennifer's memory clean.  But they had not stopped them in time to prevent the atrocious surgeries that enhanced her physical form.  Though the extra strength and speed were a beneficial change, the results were hideous.

            Once, Jennifer had been a very attractive woman.  Her dark red hair had shone no matter what light she was in.  Now it lay limp and dull on her head.  Her sparkling gray eyes have faded greatly since her stay at Weapon X.  Rather than her model figure, she now has a body more machine than human, her natural agility being bonded with the devices that are attached to her arms, legs, and torso to create the perfect killing instrument.  She doesn't even know how many hidden weapons are on her body anymore.

            Now, she is waiting for her ambush of Donovan Milady, the woman she holds responsible for her situation.  If Donovan had just done as she was told, Jennifer would be at the top of the mutant mercenary market, selling her own human weapons for top dollar.  But because Donovan had chosen to be difficult, her affections for one of the other prisoners in the facility clouding her judgment, she had lost what little humanity she had.  For that crime, Donovan would pay dearly.

            It had taken a long time to track Donovan.  Apparently Wraith had had Donovan's memory altered before setting her loose in New York.  Later, Donovan had risen very quickly to develop a strong reputation in Worthington Enterprises as a marketing genius.  That fame made finding her a simple task.

            Catching Rogue had been slightly more difficult.  Jennifer lets her gaze fall on the Southern mutant, who is tied up and gagged on the floor of the small cabin she had chosen in the mountains of Canada.  Rogue had long since given up struggling and is fast asleep on the pile of dirty clothes Jennifer had provided as a mattress.  Jennifer is keeping her alive only so she can torture and kill her when Donovan arrives.

            _I just hope I can get that girl to remember what happened before I'm through with her_, Jennifer thinks maliciously.  _I want her to know the pain of losing another loved one before she succumbs to me._

            Donovan had witnessed the death of the girl she loved when her mutant powers were made known.  She had been chased into an alley when the girl, Mandy Harper, tried to save her.  Mandy had been shot by a man aiming for Donovan.  The shock of it had driven Donovan to silence and self loathing.  It had been her intense feelings for Rogue that had given Donovan a new purpose in life and her voice.

            "Get up!" Jennifer snarls, and kicks Rogue in the ribs.  Rogue cries out and opens her tear filled eyes.  She stares up at Jennifer fearfully.  "Your hero is on her way and I want you to be ready to greet her."

THE GREAT SLAVE LAKE- THURSDAY:

            Warren follows Donovan as they push their way through the woods that blanket the area right before the mountains.  Donovan has her wings spread as wide as they can, which is tough since they span about twenty feet total.  Warren has his wings out, too, though they are not spread out as wide.  He has no idea what they may be facing and doesn't want to risk damaging them before their encounter.

            "How do you know we're going the right way?" Warren asks.  He shivers.  He wishes he had worn something a bit warmer.

            Donovan shrugs.  "Have no idea, fly boy.  Mr. Personality back there pointed in this direction when I gave him the coordinates that I'm supposed to be at," she glances at her watch.  Eight forty-five.  "We'd better hurry, though.  Time's almost up."

            A low growl stops Donovan dead in her tracks.  She looks around apprehensively.  Warren stops and does the same.  "What is—"

            "Sh!" Donovan snaps.  She crouches in a feral position, waiting for an attack.  She stares out into the woods.  "Something's coming!"

            A large man bursts from the trees on Donovan's left.  She dodges his slashing hands and rolls backward, using her wings to shield herself from further blows.  Warren takes to the air and stares down at the battle.

            Donovan can almost swear that she knows this man.  He is tall, very big, and very mean.  His long blond hair is matted and dirty and he is wearing a uniform with what looks like real animal fur trimming and thick, protective leather.  Mental images plague her mind, causing her to lose focus.  She seems to remember being scratched at by a figure matching this man's description.  She gasps with realization.  "You gave me my scars!"

            The man takes a step back as Donovan uncovers herself from her wings' protection.  She stares hard at him but is unable to come up with any other references.  She sees Warren land near by.  "Who are you?  How do I know you?"

            The man just ignores her and runs back into the woods.  Donovan pumps her powerful wings and flies after the man.  "Come back here, you bastard!  Tell me what I need to know!"

            Warren hurries to fly after her.  "Donovan, wait for me!"

SABRETOOTH:

            Sabretooth runs off in the direction of Jennifer's cottage.  He's been stalking her for months, hoping to finish the kill he'd been denied back at the Weapon X facility.  When he picked up Donovan's scent, however, he had almost been giddy with excitement.  He can kill both women in the same day.  His heart is racing as he leads Donovan and her winged companion back to Jennifer's soon-to-be tomb.  Sabretooth has no idea who he is but anticipates a slow and agonizing torture of having each and every feather plucked from his angelic wings before he rips them off.


	3. Reunion

Reunion

            "You scared, Rogue?" Jennifer asks, grinning.  She yanks Rogue to her feet and tears the gag away from the girl's pretty face.  "The girl that totally abandoned you at Weapon X is on her way here.  And the best part of it is, she won't even recognize you.  Doesn't have any idea who you are.  What if she thinks you're the enemy?  What if I make her believe that I subdued you and managed to save myself?  You think she might kill you for messing with her head and the happy life she's created for herself?"

            Rogue is crying.  She had pushed Donovan as far from her mind as she possibly could, knowing that she would never see the girl again.  But now she is going to see her and she might be the cause of Donovan's death.  She closes her gorgeous green eyes and bows her head.

            "You understand what's happening, don't you?" Jennifer asks.  She lets go of Rogue and walks toward the window.  "Today's the day you die.  If Donovan doesn't show up, I'll kill you.  If she does show, I'll kill you slowly and painfully.  Either way, you're going to be wishing you'd never been born."

            Suddenly, a huge figure crashes into the cabin, rendering the door to splinters.  He looks up, revealing a bloody mug.  He bares his sharp teeth at Jennifer.  "How's it goin', Granger?  Long time no see…"

            "Sabretooth!"  Jennifer gasps.  Her mind flashes back to her gruesome mauling.  She involuntarily screams and jumps back, forgetting about her new enhancements momentarily.

            Donovan flies into the cabin quickly, looking around.  She sees Sabretooth cornering another woman, someone looking more mechanical than human.  She remembers the voice having a machine-like quality to it.  She clenches her fists.  "You did this!  You called me out here?"

            "Donovan, wait!" Warren shouts as he follows her inside.  He spies Rogue tied up in the back of the cabin and heads toward her.  "You okay, honey?" he asks as he unties her.  "What's going on here?"

            Sabretooth turns and stares hard at Donovan, as though not recognizing her this time.  He is salivating heavily, anticipating the potential fresh kills surrounding him.  He lunges for her.  "No way, dirt ball!  She's mine!" Jennifer snaps out of her fear induced paralysis and draws her gun.  She begins to shoot at him madly.

            Donovan uses her wings as a shield when Sabretooth begins his assault, tearing and ripping at her.  She feels the strange sensation that goes with being chipped and scratched at the same time.  It's not exactly painful but it's not the most pleasant experience, either.  Donovan throws her shoulder against the bulk of Sabretooth in her fury.  "What the hell is going on here?"

1407 GREYMALKIN LANE:

            _X-Men, to me!  We have a crisis!_ Professor Charles Xavier's voice practically screams into the heads of the X-Men, an elite group of mutants attending the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters.  _In full uniform in the library in less than five!_

            The whole team is assembled in less than three minutes.  Cyclops and Marvel Girl are there first, looking very flustered.  Wolverine is next, takes one whiff of the couple and starts to growl.  It's apparent what they'd been up to all night.  Storm and the Beast follow Wolverine, take one look at each other, and move to opposite sides of the room.  Colossus plows into the room in his armored form, followed by Gambit, who's sleepy but dressed.  Kitty Pryde sneaks into the library as well.

            "Before I address the issue, I'd like all non-active members of the team to return to her bedroom," Charles says curtly, glaring at Kitty.

            "You gave the call in my head, too, though!" Kitty exclaims.  Her mother allowed her to enroll in the school only under strict assurances that her training would be restricted to power control.  After what had happened to the former Iceman, who had been terribly wounded on a mission, the school is under hard scrutiny and Kitty's activities are monitored on a fairly regular basis.  "That must mean, subconsciously, you want me to go on this mission!"

            "That means, young lady, that I am tired and under a considerable amount of stress and made a grave error.  Now, return to your room or I will have you escorted there," Xavier snaps.  He rubs his temples and watches Kitty leave.  "Now that I have your complete and undivided attention, we need to head out to the Canadian Rockies in regards to unresolved issues with the Weapon X program.

            "What?" Wolverine shouts.  His claws burst from his knuckles.  "Those slimy sons of…"

            "Not them, exactly.  I sense the activities of Sabretooth and Rogue, as well as three other mutants in a great struggle directly related to the incidents that occurred at the facility," Charles explains.

            Wolverine is growling viciously.  "This just gets better'n better.  Sabretooth's involved?"

            "Uh, s'cuse me for de interruption, but if dat maniac's involved, I'd really like t' be left behind on dis mission, neh?  Me an' him don't get along so good," Gambit says quietly.  He shivers at the thought of having to face that nightmare of a man again.

            "The only way you're going to conquer your fear is to face it, my friend," Colossus says.  "Don't worry.  We'll be there to watch your back."

            Gambit shakes his head but doesn't argue.  He leans against the table.  "Move out, people.  We don't have much time," Xavier barks.

EN ROUTE TO GREAT SLAVE LAKE:

            Cyclops is piloting the Blackbird with Colossus at his side as the co-pilot.  He is using the mini-Cerebro tracking unit to locate the group of individuals.  Marvel Girl is leaning over his seat and talking softly into his ear.  She could easily just converse with him telepathically but prefers to use her own voice in light of the recent complications regarding her psychic abilities.

            Gambit is trying to convince Beast and Storm to play a card game with him but neither is willing to do anything remotely friendly with the other.  He sighs and decides to calm his nerves with a game of solitaire.

            Wolverine is in the back of the jet, prowling.  He is very angry, not just with the current crisis in the Rockies but with his annoyance at the Marvel Girl/Cyclops situation.  He wants to kill Cyclops so badly that he can practically taste the man's blood on his lips already.  But he calms his rage as he catches a new scent on the plane.

            He sneaks up to a group of large storage bins and knocks off one of the lids.  Kitty is curled up in it, staring up at Wolverine with a look of shock on her freckled face.  "Hey, Logan.  Hehe, what's up?"

            "You after I throw ya from the plane!" Wolverine roars.  "What the hell are ya doin' here?  You heard the professor!  Y' ain't t' go on any X-Men missions!"

            Kitty climbs out of the bin quickly.  "I know what he **said**.  But you didn't feel him in your head the way I did.  I don't think he really wants to me to stay at home while you guys are out fighting.  I think he wants me to do this.  To prove myself to you, him, and my mom so that I can be a real X-Man!"

            "No, no, no," Wolverine snaps.  "You're gonna stay right here on the Blackbird while we go out there and murder us some Weapon X scumbags."

            "But, Logan!" Kitty cries.  She follows him to the main passenger area.  She ignores the shocked expressions on the rest of the team's faces.  "Hank, listen to me.  I think the professor wants me to be part of the active roster.  That's why he called me tonight and pretended it was an accident!  And he would have detected me listening at the door when he was talking.  He would have known I was thinking about jumping into the storage area on the Blackbird!  He's one of the most powerful psychics in the world!"

            Storm shakes her head.  "You certainly know who to preach to, kid," she narrows her eyes in Beast's direction.

            "Give it a rest, Ororo," Beast says angrily.  He looks into Kitty's eyes.  "If you think you're being manipulated, Kitty, why let it happen?"  Kitty doesn't respond.  Beast looks at Storm and sighs.  "I think that maybe I've been wrong.  Although not in the way that you want me to be."

            Kitty realizes that she's been forgotten.  She breathes out in exasperation and hurries after Wolverine.  Storm moves to sit across from Beast.  "In what way have you been wrong, then?"

            Beast reaches out and takes Storm's hand.  She flinches slightly but then grips it tightly.  The feeling of it makes Beast's heart soar.  "Perhaps the professor is manipulating us, as some of us are starting to believe.  But if so, why should I just assume it's for purposes other than a good one?  Yes, Bobby was hurt but only trying to defend you.  If the professor hadn't given him that nudge, you may have died.  We all may have.  Bobby was hurt but he knew what he was getting into when he got into the superhero game.  And the fact that we've all grown since enrolling here must be more of a beneficial nudge than a malicious one.  None of us were very mentally stable when we got here but his help has set us on the paths to becoming better people."

            There are tears in Storm's eyes.  "What about us, though?  Why would the professor make me love you, Hank?"

            Beast shakes his head.  "Maybe he didn't… maybe you genuinely do love me… and I was too insecure to fathom why you might."

            Storm throws her arms around Beast.  They stay together like that for the rest of the flight.

_A/N:  the Ultimate Universe X-Men are created by Marvel, obviously, but this version of them was actually based on two stories written by an author on this site called Kizmet (user ID:  28797).  The stories, Road's End and School and Home, introduced Remy LeBeau, aka Gambit, into the X-Men.  With his permission of course, I used his stories as a kind of past history for this story.  So his stories, as well as my own Wrong Crowd can be considered prequels for this fiction.  I hope you read and enjoy his work as much as I did!_


	4. All Mixed Up

All Mixed Up

            Sabretooth is pacing in the cabin, growling and staring at the four mutants he has tied up in the corner of the single room of the building.  Donovan is in bad shape.  Sabretooth had taken most of his rage out on her, tearing her up pretty badly.  She's not bleeding but her skin is jagged and full of holes.  She is very dizzy as though she's lost a lot of blood.  She can barely keep her eyes open.

            Warren is starting to worry about her.  She hasn't spoken since Sabretooth bound her with pieces of the bed frame almost half an hour earlier.  She keeps nodding off and then jolting upright again.

            Jennifer has been bound with the other parts of the bed frame.  She feels her strength receding.  Sabretooth had torn out most of the wiring that kept her industrial strength flowing through her body.  She is essentially human as far as her physical prowess is concerned.  The pain she feels is keeping her from concentrating on using her powers to take away Sabretooth's mutant abilities.

            Rogue is being held by a rope that keeps her hanging upside down from the ceiling.  As Sabretooth passes, he pushes her a bit to keep her swinging.  She feels ill and is keeping her eyes on Donovan.  There had been absolutely no recognition in Donovan's eyes when she looked at Rogue.

            Donovan suddenly stiffens up.  She gets up, despite the bed frame holding her arms to her sides.  Sabretooth turns as Donovan launches at him.  "What the.."

            Donovan suddenly goes totally stiff and crashes to the floor a few feet from her target.  Sabretooth walks toward her slowly.  "Don't be dead yet, Milady!  I ain't even close t' done with ya!"

            "She's turned to stone," Jennifer says, slightly amused.  "She might as well be dead."

            "NO!" Rogue and Warren scream.  They both struggle against their restraints desperately.  Rogue is sobbing heavily.

            Sabretooth is very upset.  "How am I s'posed t' torture ya when one o' yer members up and kills herself?"

ELSEWHERE:

            Donovan opens her eyes, disoriented and very nauseas.  She moans and stands up shakily.  Looking around doesn't help her illness, however.  Everything around her is totally black.  There seems to be no end to her environment, no up or down, walls, floors or ceilings.  All just empty space.  She doesn't even feel as though she's standing on anything.  She retches but finds that she cannot vomit.

            _Sorry, love.  Here on the astral plane, bodily functions don't really work,_ a gentle voice whispers in Donovan's ear.

            Donovan turns and sees a beautiful young woman with short blond hair and pretty brown eyes.  She is wearing a pale green dress and matching slippers.  She is one of the most beautiful girls she's ever seen.  Donovan finds herself comparing this woman to the girl she'd seen tied up at the cabin.

            _That would be Rogue.  The girl you struggled not to care about because of me,_ the girl before her says softly.  _But I ended up letting you go… and this is where we end up._

_            What do you mean?_ Donovan asks.  She shakes her head.  _Are we talking in our heads?_

            _Kind of.  Since we're in your head, we don't have much choice but to speak telepathically, because sound doesn't actually travel, you know?_ the girl replies.  She sees the confusion on Donovan's face.  _Doesn't matter, the technical stuff's not important.  What is important is that I finally get to talk to you again!_

            _Who are you?_ Donovan asks, feeling foolish for not recognizing this aspect of her own mind.  She wonders what had happened to make her forget so much of her past.

            The girl reaches out and takes Donovan's hand.  Donovan is annoyed at the lack of sensation but ignores it.  _I'm Mandy Harper.  I died about a year ago when someone shot at you.  Being a telepath, I was in your mind at the time of my death so my psychic energy was transferred to your mind.  So we share the same space, in a sense._

            Donovan scratches her head.  _You were shot?  But bullets don't really hurt me…_

            _Ironic, isn't it? Neither of us knew at the time what your abilities allowed you to do or withstand.  Besides, it's not like I took the bullet for you, though I gladly would have done it.  The moron missed you and hit me,_ Mandy says with a wry smile.

            _I'm so sorry,_ Donovan doesn't know what to say.  She feels pity for this girl who is forced to live in someone else's mind because of some bigoted idiot but doesn't feel any real attachment because of what she can't remember.  She looks down and closes her eyes.  _I wish I could do something.  But I can't even recall some of the most trivial events of my life before I met Warren.  I certainly don't remember any kind of death important to me._

            Mandy places a hand on Donovan's forehead.  _You will._

Donovan shrieks as the first sensation she receives while in this astral plane happens to be a searing jolt of pain.  She lurches backward and feels as though she'll fall forever.  She is stopped as Mandy appears behind her to stop her.

            Images flash all around the two girls.  Hundreds of images for the years of memory that had been wiped away.  Donovan feels ill again as it all speeds past her.  _How am I supposed to remember anything if I can't see any of it clearly?_

            But Donovan does remember.  It all floods her inner mind just as quickly as it flashes through the space around her.  She drops to her knees, wanting to cry but unable to.  She stares up at Mandy, who is smiling weakly.  _I know this is hard to take, love.  But you know as well as I do how necessary that was._

            Donovan throws her arms around Mandy, showering the girl in kisses that neither actually feels but appreciates just as much.  _How could I have forgotten you?  But… wait, I thought you let me go.  I thought you, left._

            _There was no where for me to go.  I had to sit back and watch your life but not interfere.  But now you're here and I really had no choice.  You need to know what's going on before going back out there._

            Donovan shakes her head.  _I can't leave you again.  I love you too much.  Nothing else matters._

            _If you don't get out there, they're going to die,_ Mandy says.  _I've been watching them while we've been down here, mentally, of course.  Sabretooth plans on skinning Rogue, tearing the wings off of Warren, and pulling the machinery out of Jennifer._

            _If it wasn't for Jennifer, none of this would have happened.  She deserves all that she gets,_ Donovan replies coldly.

            Mandy smiles lovingly.  _But could you honestly go through life knowing that you let her die?  You're not that heartless.  Besides, what about Warren?  He saved you when no one else would have given you a second look.  And Rogue?  You care about her._

            _Rogue…_ Donovan takes a deep breath, not getting any oxygen but feeling a little better.  _I do care about her.  But she's not you.  She's probably not even gay._

_            Doesn't matter what she is.  She's still a person.  A girl who needs help badly.  You remember now what she has to live with.  She's scared, alone, and she does look up to you a great deal.  You have to save her,_ Mandy replies.  _Besides, I'm always going to be here.  Even when you move on to someone new, I'll always be here in your mind, loving you and taking care of you._

            Donovan hugs Mandy again.  _How do I get out of here?  How do I come back?_

            _I brought you here because you were hurt badly and needed to heal.  I'm sure the stone casing restorative capability has finished.  Just think about going back to where you were.  And the same holds true for coming back.  Just think about wanting to be with me and you will be,_ Mandy explains.  _Now go, before anything else happens to them._

            In the real world, unnoticed by Sabretooth or his captives, the stone shell around Donovan's body begins to crack.


	5. Where this Road Lies

Where This Road Lies

            Wolverine is sniffing the air as he pushes his way through the thick woods.  He'd recognize Sabretooth's stench from a mile away.  And the beast like man had made no attempt at covering his tracks.  He either wants to be found or doesn't care who is following him.  Whatever the reasons, Wolverine intends on taking advantage of his opportunity.

            The other X-Men are following him as fast as they can.  Only the young Cajun boy is keeping up well.  The others have been left huffing and puffing far behind.  He glances back and smiles.  The kid's got guts.  Gambit had faced Sabretooth before and survived.  But his fear of the giant man is obvious.  He wants to stick close to Wolverine to be safe, knowing that the feral X-Man would do everything in his power to protect him.

            "Keep it going, kid," Wolverine calls behind him.  "We'll wait for the others once we've gutted and hung Sabretooth out t' dry!"

            Gambit catches up to Wolverine.  He is breathing heavily and leans on his quarter staff when Wolverine stops.  "You smell him?"

            "Tryin' t' catch his scent now.  He's close… and there're other scents with him… an' blood…  He hurt someone recently," Wolverine reports.  He shakes his head.

            "Not dead, is dey?"  Gambit asks, looking very concerned.  He is very sensitive about death, understanding it better than most boys his age.  He bows his head slightly, as though praying for them.

            Wolverine sniffs again.  "No.  Alive.  But hurt… not even too badly.  Like Sabretooth is slowly bleedin' him… her."

            Gambit clenches his fists.  "He hurtin' a girl?"  Dat… monster…"

            Wolverine nods.  He hears the others approaching.  "We'll let 'em catch up, all right?  Don't wanna over step our boundaries, would we?"

            Gambit wrinkles his nose, showing his displeasure at all the rules that accompany being an X-Man.  He sits down at the base of a tree and sighs.  "I don't wanna face Sabretooth again, _homme_."

            "If all goes the way I want it to… y' won't have to…" Wolverine says with a growl.

            "Y' not a big fan o' Sabretooth, neither…" Gambit says quietly.  "Why?"

            Wolverine shrugs.  "There are all kinds o' monsters in this world, kid… on one hand, there's the ones that do bad things and don't care nothing about what they do.  They do it cuz they have to fer whatever reason…" he sneers.  "Then there's the ones                                             like Sabretooth… they kill and torture and maim… just' fer the pleasure of it.  He's the kinda monster that ya gotta kill cuz there ain't no way o' helpin' him… not like the monsters Xavier recruits."

            Gambit's eyes widen.  "Xavier recruits de monsters, too?"

            Wolverine sees the other X-Men approaching.  His eyes linger on Marvel Girl momentarily.  He shakes his head.  "How d' ya think I got to join this bunch, kid?"

THE CABIN:

            Rogue is very close to passing out.  The blood that had rushed to her head as she hangs upside down is now dripping from a deep gash in her neck.  She can feel herself getting weaker and weaker as Sabretooth pushes her back and forth.  She vomits again and Sabretooth laughs.  "Y' went through months o' Weapon X training and y' can't handle a little blood loss?"

            "Let her go!" Warren shouts, forcing himself to his feet.  It's a bit tough, being tied up but he manages.  He leaps at Sabretooth, who just knocks him down again.  "Leave her alone!"

            Sabretooth grins.  "I wouldn't be so quick t' get my attention, bird boy…" he bares his teeth menacingly.  "You're next."

            "You couldn't beat me in a fair fight!" Warren snaps.  He hears Jennifer snickers beside him.  "What?"

            "You think he cares about fair?" Jennifer asks.  "He cares about blood and violence… it's what he was programmed to yearn for…"

            Sabretooth backhands Jennifer suddenly.  She hadn't even seen him move toward her.  She reels back and bangs her head against the wall.  Glaring up, she sits up and keeps quiet.

            Sabretooth looks back at Rogue, who is starting to pass out.  He slaps her face and she cries out.  She is dizzy and can't see anything.  She closes her eyes.  "Leave me alone… please."

            "You heard the lady, big man," Donovan's voice is slurred as though she's just woken up.  Shards of stone explode from her body as she breaks through the rest of her stone shell.  She launches herself at the very surprised mutant.

            "Donny!" Rogue exclaims weakly.  She forces herself to open her eyes and gaze at the suddenly feral girl.

            Warren gets up and yanks at his bonds.  Jennifer does the same thing but they are unable to free themselves. Sabretooth fights Donovan viciously.  She pushes him back through the wall of the cabin.  He lands right in front of Wolverine.  "Long time, no see, Sabretooth…"

            Sabretooth forgets all about Donovan.  "Wolverine!  What're you doin' here?"

            Wolverine's adamantium claws burst from his knuckles.  He attacks as Sabretooth starts to stand up.  Donovan decides that letting Wolverine take out Sabretooth is probably better than getting tossed around again.  She hurries back to the cabin, where the Beast and Colossus are freeing Warren and Jennifer.  Marvel Girl is using her telekinesis to lower Rogue to the ground gently.

            "Don't let her go!" Warren and Donovan shout as Beast tears away Jennifer's bonds.  Jennifer takes the opportunity to grab at Donovan.

            Donovan is much stronger than Jennifer.  She flings the woman over her shoulder easily and drops her to the ground.  Jennifer gets up angrily.  "Don't forget that I can take your powers away, Donny!"

            Donovan curls her lip.  "I don't remember anything you've ever done…"

            _She's lying, Donovan.  You've never met this girl in your life.  She was using your amnesia to take advantage of you, _Mandy's voice says in Donovan's mind.  Donovan roars and throws herself at Jennifer.

            "I warned you, Donny!" Jennifer gasps.  She tries to concentrate on Donovan but finds she's unable to.  "Oh no…"

            Donovan has Jennifer pinned against a wall.  She raises a rock hard fist and punches a hole into the wall by Jennifer's head. "Who are you? How dare you take advantage of me?!"

            "Donny, what's the matter with you?" Jennifer demands.  "We're partners!"

            "Donovan, stop!" Rogue screams.  She's seen more killing and pain than she ever wants to.  "You're too good for that, Donny.  You know you are, even if you don't remember anything else!"

            Donovan glances at Rogue.  She tilts her head slightly, studying the girl's soft features and pleading expression.  "You're Rogue…"

            Rogue grins despite the situation.  "Yeah.  You remember me!"

            _She's responsible for your lack of memory.  She and Boost collaborated to get the money you made from working for Warren,_ Mandy says in Donovan's mind.  _Don't trust her!_

Sabretooth suddenly crashes back into to the cabin.  Wolverine is still chasing after him.  Sabretooth grabs Marvel Girl and grips her by the throat.  "Don't move, runt!  I'll tear this girl a new breathin' hole!"

            Wolverine freezes.  His eyes narrow and he growls menacingly.  He glances over at Cyclops, who is preparing to hit Sabretooth with an optic blast.  With his super senses, he can see Sabretooth's grip tighten on Marvel Girl's neck.  "I wouldn't do that if I were you, One Eye.  Yer jus' gonna piss off the lunk and get yer lady friend dead."

            Cyclops lowers his hand.  Colossus is holding onto Warren tightly.  Not knowing who the enemies are makes him wary of everyone not on his team right now, despite seeing some of the newcomers restrained.  Beast is crouched in a corner behind Sabretooth but he knows that moving will trigger the larger mutant's keen senses and get Marvel Girl killed.

            Storm had been trying to help Marvel Girl with Rogue when Sabretooth grabbed her teammate.  She is now holding up a very weak Rogue on her own.  Donovan is still holding Jennifer against a wall, though she doesn't seem to be focusing on either Jennifer or Sabretooth.  Gambit is cowering by the door of the cabin, refusing to look at his longtime enemy.

            No one moves and no one notices that Kitty Pryde is approaching the cabin, using her phasing power to go through trees, rather than go around them.


	6. When Worlds Collide

When Worlds Collide

            _Wake up, Donovan!  None of this should concern you!  You have a mad man trying to kill everyone, two girls trying to manipulate you, and a bunch of punks in pretty pajamas running around.  You don't need this!  Let's get out of here and we'll be all right!_ Mandy roars in Donovan's mind.

            _Something's not right, Mandy…_ Donovan thinks.  She looks around at the chaos around her.  Her eyes fall on Rogue.  _You said I had feelings for Rogue.  Why don't I remember?_

_            I'm still blocking that from you, honey, _Mandy says gently.  _You were so torn up by it in the first place.  I couldn't bear to have you relive it again._

            Donovan shakes her head.  _I need to know about things in my own life, Mandy.  I can't go on being so confused._

            "Get outta here, ya X-Morons.  I got bones ta pick with these four," Sabretooth's voice pulls Donovan from her internal struggle.  He whips Marvel Girl around to show the others how band of a position she's in.  He glares at Jennifer, who is smiling smugly.  "What the hell are you so happy about?"

            "You're the one in serious trouble, muscle head," Jennifer replies.  "You're totally outnumbered.  We may not all be working together but our common goal is the same:  getting rid of you.  That's why we're all here, you know.  That's why I called Donny out here.  We stopped you once before, we can do it again."

            "What?" Donovan, Rogue, and Sabretooth demand.  Jennifer pulls away from Donovan, who is seriously doubting everything, despite Mandy's warnings in her mind.

            In his confusion, Sabretooth loosens his grip on Marvel Girl.  The only person who notices is Gambit, who has finally braved a look at his biggest fear.  He takes this opportunity to charge a playing card from the pocket of his duster and toss it skillfully at Sabretooth.

            Sabretooth reels back and drops Marvel Girl.  She rushes to Cyclops instinctively.  Wolverine watches, snarling.  Sabretooth has unwittingly brought that couple closer together.  With his hatred for Sabretooth deepened, Wolverine lunges at his enemy again.  "Time to die, bub!"

            Jennifer smirks at Rogue.  "You know I was lying for sure, kiddo.  Thanks for not totally blowing my cover," she knocks Storm over and grabs Rogue by the arm.  "We need to talk!"

            Cyclops tries to regain control of the situation.  He steps away from Marvel Girl reluctantly.  "All right, guys.  We know which is the main enemy for now.  Take Sabretooth down now and we'll figure out the rest later!"

            "Good plan, Cyclops," Beast says a bit sarcastically.  "Except for one small problem…"  
            "And what would that be?" Cyclops snaps.  He hasn't  noticed that Jennifer has grabbed Rogue and is on her way out the door.

            Storm has gotten up.  Her pupils have been whitened out in her anger.  "No one pushes me!" she focuses her ability to control the elements on Jennifer and Rogue.  "I'll fry your stupid ass for that!"

            "No, she has Rogue!" Donovan screams.  She doesn't know what she feels for Rogue but she can't let anyone hurt the girl.  She grabs Storm and punches her as hard as she can in the jaw.  Storm screams and falls to the ground, unconscious.

            Beast grabs Donovan.  "How dare you hit the woman I love?"

            "Hey, blue boy," Warren shouts.  "She was going to zap an innocent!"

            "How are we supposed to know who's innocent or not?" Colossus demands, towering over Warren.  "For all we know, you've got our names on tombstones already."

            Donovan jerks away from the Beast and begins to chase after Jennifer again.  She ignores Mandy's screams in her head.  _Leave them!  You're free to just get out of here!  Think of yourself for once!"_

_            Unless you're going to give me access to my memories again, Mandy, even you're suspect right now so leave me alone!  _Donovan thinks bitterly, hating that she has to treat the only one she really trusts like an enemy.  For all she knows, Mandy really is protecting her.

            Mandy says nothing else but Donovan can almost feel a darkness form in her head.  She doesn't like the way that seems but she keeps running anyway.

            "What now, Cyke?" Gambit asks.  Now that Wolverine has chased Sabretooth out of the cabin again, he feels safer.

            Beast is holding Storm.  "I'm getting her to the Blackbird.  She needs medical treatment.  I think that wench just broke Ororo's jaw!"

            "You do that," Cyclops agrees.  "Jean, go with him.  Colossus, come with me after Sabretooth.  Gambit, you go after the girls with Mr. Worthington."

            "You know who I am?" Warren asks.

            "It's my job to know of powerful mutants in high places," Cyclops replies.  "Help Gambit figure out what's going on here, please."

            Gambit leads Warren from the cabin through the door way, following Marvel Girl and Beast.  Colossus and Cyclops head of through the hole in the cabin to follow Wolverine and Sabretooth.

INTO THE WOODS:

            "What're ya doin' with me?" Rogue demands weakly.  She is exhausted and can barely keep up with Jennifer, who is yanking her along through the woods.  She cries out in pain and drops to her knees.  Jennifer drags her for a bit before giving up and stopping.  "Ah can't keep up like this.  What do ya want?"

            "Donny's still a little sweet on you, right?" Jennifer asks suddenly, looking around.  She doesn't see anyone nearby.  She shrugs.  "Even though she doesn't remember you, she knows you mean something to her."

            Rogue wipes tears from her face.  "Ah dunno.  Why does that matter?"

            "Donny's much more powerful than she realizes.  I need that power at my disposal if I want to form my mercenary company," Jennifer says.  "Once Donny realizes how useful she would be, I'm sure she'd be willing to work for me."

            Rogue just stares at Jennifer for a minute.  "You just want Donovan fer a mercenary thing?  Why the hell would you go through all this just for that?  Just ask her fer Chris'sake!"

            Jennifer shakes her head.  "You don't seem to understand.  Donovan is kind of a loose cannon in a lot of different ways.  Because that Mandy witch is in her head, she doesn't make her own decisions.  She just doesn't realize it.  Or maybe she is now…" Jennifer looks thoughtful.  "I think she's starting to realize that she's being manipulated."

            "You're tryin' ta manipulate her," Rogue says coldly.

            "Not really," Jennifer says.  "I did try that before but with Mandy in her head, it's impossible.  Now I'm being honest with her.  I think she can sense that.  That's why she's following us.  She wants the truth and knows that it isn't in her head."

            "How do Ah play into this?" Rogue asks.

            Jennifer grins.  "Glad you asked.  You see, whatever is going on in her head, she is focused on you.  You've got her heart while Mandy has her head.  So in some ways, you can control Donny.  I know you won't use her, that's why I'm being straight with you.  You have to understand that she can't let that Mandy character run her life.  You have to show her that."

            "Why'd you suddenly have this change o' heart?" Rogue asks.

            "Because I know Donovan would help me if she was thinking on her own," Jennifer says.  "I'm not really a bad guy, Rogue.  I'm looking after my own interests.  I screwed up getting involved in Weapon X.  I screwed you and hundreds of other young mutants over.  I did it for personal gain and I'm not sorry for it."

            Rogue glares at Jennifer, who isn't even looking at her anymore.  "This world is being torn apart by the bigotry between humans and mutants.  Everyone thinks they're the greater race.  Someone needs to show them that they're all the same in the great scheme of things."

            "Ain't  that Xavier's goal?" Rogue asks.  "Join the X-Men.  They like that sorta thing."

            Jennifer laughs.  "Xavier's a moron.  You think humans and mutants are going to live together peacefully?  You think he can make that happen without shedding blood?" she shrugs.  "It's be nice but who's going to profit from that?"

            "You, Ah'd suppose," Rogue says bitterly.  She isn't a big fan of the X-Men but she doesn't exactly like where this is heading either.

            "Exactly!" Jennifer exclaims.  "Humans and mutants are each powerful in their own way.  Mutants have their natural abilities and humans have their crazy manmade weapons.  When used together, that's one hell of a fighting force!  If I can gather enough willing participants, I can provide an army of already cooperating species.  With that army, a global takeover is inevitable and a new empire can arise.  Democracy has already failed.  You saw the results of the last election.  Why not have a leader in charge who will treat everyone the same?"

A BIT FURTHER AWAY:

            "Donovan!" Warren shouts hoarsely.  He is flying above the trees, hoping to catch the gray blur that would be his employee.  "Donovan, damn it, where are you?"

            Warren is holding Gambit in his arms.  Gambit is excited to be on a mission on his own.  Normally he is stuck sticking by Cyclops' side and that gets boring after a while.  He almost feels bad for Wolverine, who has to put up with the team leader's stiffness.  But the thought of being a hero by himself keeps him from dwelling on it.  That, and the fact that he doesn't have to deal with Sabretooth.

            Down below, Donovan is tracking Jennifer and Rogue as best  as she can.  But something keeps forcing her in circles.  She thinks she's on the right track and then ends up in the place she started from.  She shakes her head in frustration.  "Mandy, let me do what I have to do!" she screams finally, dropping to her knees.

            Kitty Pryde is hiding behind a tree nearby.  She figured that following Donovan would be the safest and most beneficial thing she could do for the team.  Since Donovan was chasing after a woman dragging another girl away by force, she just assumes that Donovan's a good guy.  She also knows that Gambit and some handsome winged man are also following Donovan so she wants to be at a safe distance, just in case.

            Donovan pounds her fist into the ground, leaving a deep hole there.  She gets to her feet again.  She doesn't want to fly, afraid that the trees would block her view but running was obviously not getting her anyway.

            "Mandy, I know you don't want me to be hurt by realizing what I feel for Rogue or whatever, but I need to know the truth!  Either tell me everything or let me find out on my own!" Donovan grumbles.

            _No.  You need to just leave here.  When we're a good, safe distance away from this insanity, I'll tell you everything you need to know,_ Mandy replies telepathically.  _Besides, a secret costumed crusader is following you.  You don't want to lead her to Rogue, do you?  What if they're the bad guys after all?  One of them almost fried Rogue, remember?_

            Kitty watches Donovan intently.  She can tell that Donovan is searching for something new now but is certain that she can't be detected.  When Donovan flies up into the air, Kitty gasps and rushes out of her hiding spot, determined to stay with her.

            "Go'cha!" Donovan exclaims, landing behinds Kitty.  She grabs the startles junior X-Man and lifts her by the back of the shirt.  "You're not wearing a uniform…"

            "I'm not an X-Man!" Kitty cries.

            "Who are you?" Donovan demands, shaking Kitty slightly.  "Why are you following me?"

            "I just wanna help!" Kitty exclaims.  That is the truth.  She just doesn't know whether helping the X-Men is the same as helping Donovan yet.

            Donovan suddenly grins.  "You can lead me to where Boost took Rogue!"

            "Uh… Yeah!" Kitty says.  "They went that way but you keep running around in circles.  I can follow their trail."

            _Don't trust her!  If you can't follow their trail, she certainly can't!_ Mandy snaps.  _C'mon!_

            _You're keeping me from finding them!  _Donovan thinks.  _You're not trying to help me at all!_

            "You okay?" Kitty asks.

            "Fine," Donovan says.  "Let's get out of here."


	7. Mysteries Unraveled

Mystery Unraveled

            This is not what Sabretooth had expected when he tracked Jennifer Granger all the way out here.  He had wanted to kill the Granger girl and keep up his hunt for Milady and the other survivors of Weapon X.  What he had found was Granger, Rogue, Milady, and some other freak already packaged nicely in that little log cabin.

            Thinking his job was practically done for him, Sabretooth was going to take his time and enjoy his kills, torturing the one that got away.  Milady didn't remember anything but Sabretooth figured that he could force jog her memory by killing Rogue slowly.  It might even have taken the death of her winged friend but Sabretooth is a patient beast.

            His whole world fell out from underneath him when the X-Men showed up.  Now he's out fighting for his life against that runt Wolverine again.  To top it off, he's got Cyclops and Colossus taking shots at him while he's busy defending himself against Wolverine.  He roars in rage and throws Wolverine to the side, violently hitting a tree.  Ribs must've snapped but Wolverine just gets up to come at him again.

            "Wolverine, back off for a minute!" Cyclops shouts suddenly.  With both men's healing factors, this battle could go on for much longer than anyone wanted.  Wolverine blatantly ignores Cyclops and keeps going after the larger mutant.

            Colossus looks at Cyclops, waiting for his next command.  He sees Cyclops nod in Wolverine's direction and knows what Cyclops has in mind.  He sighs deeply and grabs Wolverine by the back of the uniform, yanking him backwards.

            Cyclops lets a huge optic blast loose, blowing Sabretooth through several trees.  Wolverine jerks out of Colossus' grip.  "What's the deal, Cyke?" he asks dangerously, approaching Cyclops in a feral manner.

            "What the hell is going on here, Sabretooth?" Cyclops ignores Wolverine, a dangerous move on his part, he knows, but he needs to show the little man why he's in charge.  "What mutant happy organization has you under its thumb this week?"

            Sabretooth is getting up slowly, letting the deep gash that has torn through his side stitch itself up.  He snarls.  "No one's got me under his thumb, X-Man…"

            "Then what the hell are you doing?" Cyclops.  "Beating on kids and business men the latest craze for mutant baddies?"

            Wolverine raises his eyebrows.  Cyclops is purposefully goading Sabretooth.  He can see that Sabretooth is preparing for another strike.  "Nah, this pussycat just likes his prey mushy.  A man o' his age needs t' take care o' his pointy dentures."

            Sabretooth's glare focuses on Wolverine.  "Thos kids're Weapon X rejects.  Got more guts in their pinkies than you got in yer whole body, punk!"

            "So this does have something to do with Weapon X?" Colossus asks, his stomach turning.  That whole project had been a terrible way for humans to manipulate and control mutants for war methods.  After their brief stay in the labs, Beast had been changed from a big, but otherwise normal looking guy, to a blue furred monster.

            Sabretooth shakes his head, getting annoyed with the questioning.  "I just wanna get them back fer what they did back at the facility.  Granger got us all locked up there and Milady got outta there with nothin' more than those scratches… laughin' at us…"

            "Seems I ain't the only one who escaped those psychos," Wolverine says.  "Good fer her."

            "She got me t' let her out!" Sabretooth roars.  "Used her brain powers t' force me inta carryin' her ass outta that dump and headin' in without even a second thought!"

            Wolverine sees Sabretooth charging him.  "If y' had a first thought, I'd be surprised, ya sack of wasted muscle!"

            Cyclops doesn't have all the information he needs but he can't get anything else out of the men while they're fighting.    He speaks into the communications link that connects him to the rest of his teammates.  "Gambit, you need to approach Donovan Milady with extreme caution.  She's a psi as well as having her physical prowess."

DEEPER INTO THE WOODS:

            "What's prowess mean?" Gambit mumbles to himself as he looks around.  "I don' see dem nowhere, _mon ami_."

            "We can land and look around on foot now," Warren replies.  They land in a clearing, not realizing that they're closer to Jennifer and Rogue than to Donovan.  "You have any kind of tracking ability, kid?"

            Gambit smiles.  "I can find my way 'round pretty good, _homme_," he says.  He strains his ears.  "I hear talkin' nearby… must be de robot and de young'un."

            "She looks to be about your age," Warren says.  "You want to call her a young'un?"

            Gambit shrugs and starts to follow the sound of the voices.  Warren follows him quickly.  They pause just before getting to Rogue and Jennifer.  Jennifer is trying to get Rogue to get up but the girl is obviously weak from loss of blood.

            "C'mon, kid…" Jennifer says nervously.  "I need you up and running when Donovan catches up to us.  Don't die on me now…"

            "Not dyin'…" Rogue murmurs softly.  Her eyes are closed and she's leaning heavily on Jennifer.  "Ah'm so sleepy…"

            Jennifer sighs.  "Sabretooth cut you up pretty bad, huh?" she tilts Rogue's head slightly, revealing a nasty slash.  She cringes.  "Donovan should be able to heal this when she gets here."

            "How?" Rogue asks, dreamily.  She's really falling out of it.  Her knees buckle and she starts to fall.

            Jennifer catches her quickly.  "Part of my ability to manipulate another person's powers is an understanding of them.  She heals while in that stone shell of hers.  If I understand it correctly, she can transfer that healing onto you if you share the stone casing with her."

            "Why doesn't she remember us?" Rogue asks.  "Is it that Mandy girl?"

            "Not totally, but I'm sure she has a big part of what's going on in Donny's head.  Weapon X mostly screwed with her mind," Jennifer says.  "You stay here… not that you can go anywhere… I'm gonna go see why it's taking Donny so long to find us."

            Jennifer walks right into Warren, who has his arms folded across his chest and a stern look on his face.  "You're not using Donovan for any of your games anymore, Granger."

            Gambit hurries to Rogue's side.  He does a quick check and grimaces.  "She ain't doin' so good, Mr. Worthin'ton.  She needs medical attention real bad."

            "That's why I'm going after Donny.  She's the only one around for miles who can help her," Jennifer replies.  She expects Warren to step aside and is infuriated when he doesn't move.  "Are you deaf?  She needs Donovan's help!"

            "I don't know who you think you are, Granger, but I don't buy any of your mush anymore.  You're not going anywhere without giving me some answers!" Warren snaps.  "Who the hell are you and what do you know of Donovan Milady?"

            Jennifer shakes her head.  "We don't have time for this!  She's going to die!"

            "I don't give a damn about some little brat who got into the wrong place at the wrong time," Warren says.  "You picked the wrong girl when you messed with Donovan."

            "You know what?  Screw you!" Jennifer shoves Warren back.  "You have no business here!  Why the hell are you here anyway?  I called for Donovan to meet me up here, not her uppity old boss who can't handle life outside his bubble of existence.  I'll bet you've never dirtied your hands before in your who life…"

            Jennifer would have gone on if Rogue didn't start sobbing again.  She turns and sees that Gambit is doing his best to apply pressure to the wound without actually touching Rogue's skin.  His hands are wrapped in his trench coat but he doesn't want the dirt and grime on it to infect her neck.  "She lost so much blood, I don' even t'ink dis gonna be much help.  If she ain't taken care of soon, dis is gonna be a big waste o' time."

            "See?" Jennifer snaps.  "Let me get her help!"

            "Not until you answer my questions," Warren says stubbornly.  He really doesn't care if Rogue is killed.  He sees her as another person to manipulate Donovan and he will not tolerate that for his friend.

            Jennifer sighs in frustration.  "Fine, we'll walk and talk.  Keep her safe, kid.  We'll be back!"

            Jennifer grabs Warren by the arm and they start to walk back in the direction they had come from.  "My name is Jennifer Granger.  To make a long story short, I'm an entrepreneur in the mercenary trade.  Well, trying to be, anyway.  I used to want mutants to take over but that would just be a chaotic nightmare.  So I'm going to include humans but only the warrior ones that accepts mutants as the next step in human evolution.  I build an army, a dictator with my same goal buys my army, the humans and mutants coexist, and I'm a millionaire."

            Warren shakes his head in disbelief.  "You're out of your mind if you think that's going to work."

            "You're out of yours to think that it won't," Jennifer shoots back.  She shrugs.  "Regardless of whether you have faith in my plans or not, Donovan is a big part of them.  I first met up with her after reading about her in the tabloids.  She was considered a homicidal gargoyle even though she really hadn't killed anyone.  She gets kinda crazy now but that's because the her first girlfriend, who was killed by anti-mutant bigots trying to kill Donovan, is still in her mind,  The girl'd been a telepath but now she's a lunatic with complete control over Donny's head.  She hates anyone getting too close to Donny's heart and messes with her head to keep her in check.  As long as she doesn't know most of her past, Mandy, the ex, is a happy camper."

            "Sounds farfetched to me," Warren says slowly, letting Jennifer's fast speech sink in.

            "Whatever," Jennifer is sick of recapping Donovan's life.  She just wants to get out of this crazy situation.  This has gotten way out of hand.  "Donny!  Where are you?"

            Warren sighs.  "Why is Donovan so important to you?"

            "Do you know how handy it would be to have a super strong, super healing, super smart mutant as your right hand man… err, girl?" Jennifer replies.  "She can battle, think, and heal up in a matter of minutes, making her the perfect general for the army I wanna create.  Besides, most of my investors have already heard of Donny and she's my ace in the hole."

            "You already have investors for this thing?" Warren is incredulous.

            "Oh yeah.  World domination is popular item on many peoples' wish lists.  The right bidder could own the world with what I'm offering!"


	8. What's in a Name?

What's In a Name?

            "So… uh, my name is Kitty Pryde.  What's yours?" Kitty replies.

            Donovan just looks at her for a minute.  Kitty blushes and looks away.  "Sorry.  I don't know what to say but the silence is kinda getting to me, you know?"

            "I'm Donovan Milady…" Donovan says.  "But don't ask me about myself because I don't even know…"

            "Like Wolverine," Kitty says softly.  "He doesn't even know his last name.  You got one over on him."

            Donovan manages a weak smile.  "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

            Kitty sighs.  "Well, yeah…" she shrugs.  "At least you could look up your family.  He couldn't do that if he wanted to."

            Donovan nods.  "Good point.  But I don't think my family would want to see me if I found them.  I got kicked out when my powers manifested."

            "Thought you didn't know anything about yourself," Kitty says.

            "I remember that pretty vividly.  I think,"  Donovan frowns.  "Maybe I don't.  What if Weapon X planted those memories in my head?  What if I'm not Donovan Milady, after all?"

            _You are Donovan Milady, honey.  You're my beautiful Donovan and you don't belong out here! _Mandy chides annoyingly.

            "Hey… Donovan?" Kitty touches Donovan's arm.  "You okay?"

            Donovan sighs.  "No.  There's a voice in my head manipulating me just as much as Boost is… was… I dunno…"

            _I'm not manipulating you!  I'm protecting you!_

            "A voice in your head?" Kitty asks.  "Are you schizophrenic?"

            Donovan makes a face.  She hadn't even considered that option before.  "Maybe.  I have no idea… I thought Mandy was a girlfriend I'd had before I got thrown out of my house.  She was a telepath and linked our minds when she died, so that her mind lives in mine."

            Kitty frowns.  "Seems kinda out there to me.  Maybe you are a schizoid… no offense."

            "None taken," Donovan mutters.  She takes a deep breath.  "You're sure you're leading me the right way?"

            Kitty shrugs.  "No idea, honestly.  But at least you're not going in a circle anymore."

            That is true.  Donovan had been going crazy trying to figure out how to regain control of her sense of direction when Kitty showed up to help.  Now, even though they may not be on the right track, Donovan is thankful that she doesn't have to worry about getting too frustrated.

            Warren bursts from the trees suddenly and runs right into Donovan.  He grins and hugs her tightly.  "Thank God I found you!  Come on, let's get out of here before anything else happens!"

            Jennifer, who had been following Warren, just stands back a few feet.  She sees how happy Warren and Donovan are to see each other.  She sighs softly.  Real friendship is a lost concept to her.  What's the use of friends?  Most can't afford to back you when needed, will stab you in the backing a heart beat, and stand in the way of important decisions.  She does feel a pang of jealousy.  If money wasn't her focus, she'd probably have lots of friends.

            Donovan steps away from Warren when she notices Jennifer.  She sneers.  "Where's Rogue?"

            "Back that way about a mile and a half.  She's hurt real bad.  You've got to come back with me and help her," Jennifer says.

            Donovan grabs Jennifer by the front of the shirt and lifts her up.  "What have you done to her?"

            "Nothing!"  Jennifer exclaims.  "The injuries she got from Sabretooth are getting to her.  She needs your healing power to save her life!"

            Donovan drops Jennifer.  "So help me God, if she's dead when I get there, I'll kill you myself!" she starts to run through the trees.

            Jennifer runs after her.  "You'll never find her without me!  Pick me up and we'll fly!"

            Donovan let's Jennifer catch up.  When she's close enough, Donovan picks her up under one arm and takes to the air.  Warren and Kitty do the same thing and they fly off after them.

A MILE AND A HALF AWAY:

            "Ah don't feel good…" Rogue whines.  She is very dizzy and sleepy but Gambit won't let her sleep.  "Jus' lemme die…"

            "An' let Cyclops get mad at me?"  Gambit asks.  "T'anks but no t'anks.  He'd kill me if I let ya die."

            Rogue is lying in a bed of leaves Gambit had made for her with her head in his lap.  She has been throwing up since Jennifer and Warren left.  Gambit had shown no signs of being repulsed by her, gaining her respect if not her trust.  He just held her hair back and whispered reassuring promises.  He keeps a torn part of his undershirt pressed against her wounded neck.

            "What's your name?" Rogue asks suddenly.  She gazes into his deep red eyes with her tear filled green ones.

            "_Je m'appele _Remy LeBeau," Gambit replies.  "What's yours?"

            Rogue starts to cry again.  "Ah don't remember…"

            Gambit looks at her sadly.  "You don' remember?  Was dis some sorta amnesiacs meetin'?"

            "Ah use t' remember…" Rogue says softly.  "The Weapon X folks jus' called me Rogue.  Never mah real name.  An' Ah absorbed so many people… after a while, Ah couldn't tell which was mah name and which was someone else's in mah head.  An' Ah forgot who Ah am…"

            Gambit smiles warmly.  "T'ink of it dis way, Rogue… some people don' wanna know who dey are.  Some people done some bad t'ings and wish dey wasn't dem anymore.  You're actually not doin' too bad de way y' are."

             "Y' think so?" Rogue asks.

            Gambit's face darkens.  "Take it from me, _chere_.  Dere be people who hate demselves for what dey done in deir lives…"

            Rogue and Gambit's eyes meet.  She can see the pain and guilt swirling around in the red.  "Like you..?"

            "Yeah," Gambit says quietly.  "Like me."

            Donovan and Jennifer land in the small clearing a few feet away from the troubled pair.  Donovan drops Jennifer and rushes to Rogue's side.  "Are you all right?  Show me where you're hurt."

            Gambit pulls the cloth away from Rogue's neck.  Donovan grimaces and looks away.  "That bastard… well, you're going to be okay, Rogue.  I'll take care of this."

            Donovan pulls Rogue into her arms.  She ignores Mandy's screams and threats in her head and starts to turn to stone.  Jennifer had explained the situation and what she has to do over their flight.  Rogue gasps and wraps her arms around Donovan's neck.  In a moment, they are both covered in thick stone.

            "What de hell happened?" Gambit shouts.  He draws a few playing cards from his pocket and charges them as he faces Jennifer.  "If anyt'ing happens t' her…"

            "I know, I know," Jennifer says with a smile.  "You'll kill me yourself.  I got the same speech from Donny, all right?  She'll be fine, I promise."


	9. Mind Games

Head Games

            Rogue notices that all the pain from her wounded neck is gone.  She reaches up to touch it and gasps when she realizes that it isn't there.  She looks around and sees nothing for what seems like forever.  There is no noticeable floor, ceiling, or walls.  She feels dizzy but not from pain.  _Donny..?_

_            I'm here…_Donovan says from behind Rogue, who turns quickly.  She sees Donovan in her human form.  Rogue thinks it looks unnatural and wishes that she was the same Donovan that she knows.  _Are you all right?_

_            Ah'm okay… jus' confused,_ Rogue says.  _Where are we?_

            _Either in my mind or yours.  But judging by your perception of me, probably mine.  This is how I used to look.  You remember it, right?_

            _Yeah.  But Ah like you better with your wings…_ Rogue says, gazing at Donovan.  She feels drawn to the older girl's beauty but finds that it pales in comparison to Donovan's natural form.  _Wait… You remember meetin' me before?_

_            No.  She doesn't,_ another voice enters the conversation.  Rogue sees Mandy approaching them.  She immediately doesn't like her.  She clenches her fists.  _You do.  You remember it and while your minds are temporarily linked during the healing process, your thoughts and memories are accessible to Donovan.  And, of course, me._

_            Who're you?_ Rogue demands.  She sees the love and affection in Donovan's eyes as she gazes at Mandy and feels a pang of jealousy.  She pushes that aside as she crosses her arms.  _What're ya doin' here in Donny's head?_

_            I'm Mandy Harper.  Donovan's… life partner, if you will,_ Mandy's voice is dripping with malice.  She turns to look at Donovan.  Her expression is the opposite of Donovan's, with anger and hatred burning in her eyes.  _I died for Donovan and now have to live forever at her disposal.  Fortunately, she has more faith and love for me than she does in God… so she has become more of an extension of me than anything else._

Rogue stares at Donovan in disbelief.  She can't believe that Donovan is letting Mandy do this.  After hearing all this, Donovan is still gazing at Mandy lovingly.  _You're controllin' Donny?  And you're jus' lettin' her?  Donny, what're ya doin'?_

_            She's my girlfriend…_ Donovan doesn't sound very sure of herself.  _I love her, Rogue.  You don't understand._

Mandy grins triumphantly.  _Not even you can sway my Donovan.  You, with your pretty face and down home charm.  You may have turned her eye for a second but in the end, she comes right back to where she belongs._

            Rogue glares at Mandy.  _All this t' keep her yours?  You're dead!  So what if she wants t' move on!  She didn't ask ya t' die for her.  You did it cuz you love her.  And if you really loved her, you'd let her lead her own life!_

Mandy shakes her head.  _Silly girl, you'll never understand what love truly is.  Of course, that's not your fault.  After all, you were born with a power that would ensure that you never know what love feels like.  A power that would always leave you all alone._

Rogue wants to cry but find that she can't.  She looks at Donovan, who can't return her gaze.  Mandy continues.  _So you choose my Donovan, whose power would allow you to touch.  But you had no idea that she's already mine.  And that's not your fault, either._

            Mandy starts to approach Rogue.  _However, we're faced with an interesting dilemma.  You see, while Donovan is attracted to you, there isn't much focus on me in her life.  And though I'm normally not the jealous type, a person with a physical form could be more desirable than I am, despite the love that we share.  So, unfortunately, you simply cannot be allowed to continue tempting Donovan away from me._

_            Uh, Mandy… what are you saying?_ Donovan finally interjects.  Rogue sighs in relief.

            Mandy smiles fondly at Donovan, the way an adult smiles at a foolish child.  _Think of this, Donovan.  My mind in Rogue's body?  It would be brilliant.  She's a lot different looking than I am, but you're already attracted to her.  It would be perfect.  And the transfer will be so easy.  Jennifer and Sabretooth provided us with the perfect opportunity to do this.  With your minds linked, all I have to do is take over Rogue's body.  With no body, and no psychic abilities to anchor you to anyone's mind, your mind will dissipate and die, Rogue.  As though you never existed._

With that said, Mandy lunges at Rogue.  Rogue dodges the attack easily but feels as though she's falling forever.  She reaches for something to hold on to but finds nothing in the endless void.  She tries to scream but there is no sound.

            Suddenly, a hand grabs hers and sets her right.  She smiles at Donovan, who has taken her winged form again.  _Donny, she's gonna kill me!_

            _I heard, Rogue…_ Donovan says sadly.  She looks up at Mandy, who is waiting expectantly.  She sighs and gazes at Rogue.  _I care about you, Rogue, I really do.  But Mandy's been in my head for so long.  She needs a body.  I owe it to her to provide one.  And she's chosen you…_

            Rogue slaps Donovan across the face.  Though she can't physically feel it, Donovan feels the sting of shame.  She looks down.  _Y' may think y' owe her somethin', Donovan Milady, but Ah'm mah own person.  Ah don't owe her a damned thing 'cept maybe a butt whuppin' that she'll never forget, _Rogue says boldly, glaring up at Mandy, who is seething above them.  _Ah'm mah own person, Donny, and so are you.  Did you ask her t' give her life for ya?  Did you ask her t' live in your head 'stead of passin' on like she shoulda?  No.  But you let her fester in yer head like a cancer and now she's runnin' the show.  Ah won't pay fer your mistakes, Donny, an' you shouldn't make me.  If you gave a damn about me like y' say y' do, you wouldn't make me._

Donovan can't return Rogue's gaze.  She looks down at her feet, ashamed of her actions but unable to do anything.  She is still holding one of Rogue's arms as Mandy lowers herself to their level.  _Beautiful speech, Rogue.  Moving and touching.  You'd have made a great political leader if you were destined to survive this day.  But as you can see, Donovan is mine, heart, soul, and body.  Our love is stronger than your noble words.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a body to get used to…_

Mandy starts to concentrate on making the transfer.  Rogue just watches her, helpless.  Mandy's body starts to disappear.  As she does, Rogue gets weaker and she drops to her knees.  

_            Donny… please don't let her do this.  Y' know this is wrong.  You know that she is using you… using me… _Rogue whispers.  She reaches for Donovan's other hand.  _Donny, help me…_

THE CLEARING:

            The stone casing that holds Rogue and Donovan together starts to shatter.  Gambit, Warren, Jennifer and Kitty stand back away as it splits and falls down around the pair.  The awful wound that had been on Rogue's neck is gone, not even leaving a trace of a scar.

            Donovan puts Rogue down gently and stares at her for a minute.  She has a confused expression on her face.  Rogue just looks down at herself, inspecting her hands, arms, legs, and body.  She grins at Donovan and throws her arms around her.  "It worked, Donovan!  I've got a body!"

            Gambit, Warren, and Jennifer can tell that this isn't Rogue.  Jennifer narrows her eyes.  "What the hell just happened?"

            Rogue turns and faces Jennifer.  She puts her hands on her hips.  "I'm so glad I can finally meet you in person, Miss Granger.  You've been an awful thorn in my side before I even had a side.  But now that can be taken care of…"

            Jennifer is suddenly thrown back by an unseen force.  She crashes into a tree and slides down, nearly unconscious.  Rogue laughs and looks at Donovan.  I never used my power so openly like that before!  This is wonderful!"

            Donovan hurries to help Jennifer up.  Rogue glares at Donovan.  "What are you doing?  She's the one that caused you so much grief in the first place!"

            "You let Mandy take over Rogue's body!" Jennifer hisses at Donovan.  She hits Donovan in the shoulder.  "What happened to Rogue?"

            Donovan smiles.  "Ah'm right here.  Donny let Mandy have mah body so it was only fittin' that she gave me hers…"

            Rogue/Mandy's jaw drops.  "What?  You stole Donovan's body?  What happened to her?"

            "Without psychic abilities t' anchor her, Ah figure she's long dissipated by now," Donovan/Rogue says with a smile.  "Looks like you lose after all…"

            Rogue/Mandy shrugs.  "With a new body and no one to answer to?  How can I lose that way?  Donovan was starting to be a pain anyway."

            "You monsters!" Warren launches himself at Rogue/Mandy, who dodges his attack easily.  "You killed Donovan!"

            Gambit and Kitty don't know what to do.  Gambit pulls an extendable staff from his pocket and lets it lengthen to its full five feet.  Kitty phases out so that she can't be hurt by any of the battle.  Gambit rushes after Donovan/Rogue.  "How can y' jus' kill her, Rogue?  I t'ought you was better'n that!"

            Donovan/Rogue looks sad.  "Ah'm sorry, Remy… Ah had t' do this.  Ah couldn't let her get away with this.  Ah'm doin' what Ah gotta do."

            "Seems t' me y' got yer name after all, _chere," Gambit says coldly.  "Too bad y' had t' steal it."_

            "I wouldn't act so noble if I were you, Cajun," Rogue/Mandy says bitterly.  She looks at Warren.  "You have such pretty wings, Mr. Worthington.  Tell me, have they always been so nice?"

            Warren doesn't answer her.  Gambit's face pales.  "_Mon Dieu…  Don' tell me dat dis is…"_

            "That's right, Gambit," Rogue/Mandy says with a chuckle.  "You remember all those people who died.  The little girl with bones… the man with the angelic wings.  You thought he died down in those tunnels, didn't you?"

            "What are you talking about?" Warren demands.  He looks at Gambit, who is forcing himself not to cry.  "What about my wings?"

            Gambit can't look at Warren.  The older man's anger flares up and he grabs Gambit by the collar.  "Answer my questions, kid, or you're going to regret the day you were born!"

            "No need for threats, Mr. Worthington," Rogue/Mandy says sweetly.  "I have access to the parts of your brain that were forced shut.  Here… let me open them!"

            Warren screams as he suddenly is forced to remember the events that had been blocked from his mind by a man known as Dr. Nathaniel Essex.

YEARS AGO:

            Warren is an eighteen year old mess.  His father, whose health has been failing for years, has been harping on the young man to get his life together so that he can one day take over Worthington Industries.  Unfortunately, Warren has been harboring a big secret from his family and the public.

            Warren is a mutant.  A physical feature that he had always known about was the fact that his bones are hollow.  Doctors couldn't explain it but he has always been healthy so after a few years they had just decided to accept that he had them and there was nothing to be done.

            At fourteen, however, the rest of Warren's mutation began to manifest.  White feathery wings had begun to grow from his back.  They reached full length when he was sixteen, generating a wing span of sixteen feet.  This was surprisingly easy to conceal, however, as he can just strap them to his back and leave no more than sometimes a few bumps.  He can't believe his good fortune in having such flexible wings.

            At first, having wings was one of the greatest feelings Warren had ever known.  Flying had quickly become his favorite stress reliever.  But after a while, the newness wore off and fear set in.  What if someone discovered his wings?  What if someone tried to lock him up for being different, or worse, try to take his wings?  The fear developed into deep depression and Warren gradually withdrew from his family, friends, and peers.

            Today, though, Warren felt that his luck had finally changed.  A young man named Remy LeBeau, promised to bring him to a doctor who would be able to change his life.  Though he has no idea how anyone would be able to help him, Warren had leapt at the chance to make his life easier.

            Remy is late, however.  Warren stands at the subway station in annoyance.  He's been here for almost half an hour with no sign of the young man.  Just as he's about to give up, Remy darts past him and into the subway.

            Warren chases after the boy who can't possibly be more than ten years old.  The red glowing eyes confirmed that the young man was a mutant and the way he described Dr. Nathaniel Essex, he knew that there had to be truth in at least some of Remy's words.  So he follows him deep into the sewers and comes across a sight he thought he'd never forget.

            Dozens of mutants with physical mutations are hiding in these sewers.  Many of them cower as Warren walks among them, asking questions, searching for signs of Remy LeBeau or Nathaniel Essex.  Finally, a very young girl with bright red hair and jagged bones sticking out of her body points him in the direction of a pipe that is old and poorly taken care of.  There is dust and cobwebs everywhere.

            "You an angel?" the girl asks suddenly as Warren is about to leave.

            Warren sees that his wings are sticking out of his shirt slightly due to his running.  He unfastens them and lets them spread to full length.  "No.  Just a guy.  A guy who's a freak…"

            "I think you're beautiful…" the girl says with a small smile.  "I'm Sarah."

            "I'm Warren," Warren is touched by her innocence despite her awful surroundings.  Instead of chasing after Remy, he decides that he is going to do something for these poor people.  "You know what, Sarah.  I'm not a freak.  Neither are you or any of these people.  You have no reason to be hiding down here.  None of you do."

            Warren gets to the middle of the room.  "I'm Warren Worthington III, soon to be one of the richest young men in the world.  One of the richest mutants in the world.  You don't have to hide down here anymore.  I'll make sure that you're provided with housing, food, and medical care.  Anything you need to start over.  You don't need to hide down here anymore!"

            A pair of hands starts to clap.  Warren turns and sees a hideous looking man with white skin and razor sharp teeth.  He sneers.  "You're Nathaniel Essex…"

            "And you're Warren Worthington III, soon to be one of the richest young men in the world," the man says, nodding a greeting.  He crosses his arms.  "Remy tells me that you are having problems with your wings.  I can help you with that."

            Warren backs away slowly, sensing that something isn't right.  He sees Gambit standing behind Essex and glares at the young man.  "What the hell have you done down here, kid?  You lead these people down here to this… monster?"

            "Monster?" Essex chuckles.  "No, Mr. Worthington.  You seem to have the wrong idea about the kind of work I do.  You see, I am here to better your pathetic race.  To increase the chances of the world's survival through weeding out those that are unworthy of the life they are so generously given at birth."

            Warren feels himself starting to tremble but he finds himself asking:  "Am I worthy..?"

            Essex smiles cruelly.  "That remains to be seen…"

            Warren suddenly drops to his knees, writhing in pain.  He looks up at Essex pitifully.  Essex is glaring down at him as he slips into unconsciousness.

            The next few weeks is agony as Essex, calling himself Mr. Sinister, performs torturous experiments on him, tearing into his wings, bones, and muscles.  Warren's vocal cords grow raw as his screams go unheard through the sewers.  Only one small person seems to care about him.  Little Sarah brings him food, water, and what she calls "Morlock medicine."  The medicine is what keeps Warren alive throughout Sinister's labors.  Whatever is in it acts as an anesthetic that often knocks him out during the processes, depending on the dosage.

            Then, one day, Warren wakes up in an alleyway in New York City, not far from his apartment.  His father finds him staggering into the house, his wings spread out in all their glory.  "My God!  Warren, are you all right?"

            "Under the sewers…" Warren gasps.  "Dad, people… Sinister…" he stumbles to the floor.  "Sarah…"

            Warren Worthington II orders a search of the sewers be done to find the man responsible for hurting his son.  When nothing is found in the sewers, however, many people believe that the young man made up the story to draw attention from the fact that he has wings.  His father, sick of Warren's ranting and screaming nightmares, finally has Warren sent to a mental institute where he is forced to deny all that has happened to him and ultimately forget that it ever happened at all.

            Warren has never recalled any of those events until now.


	10. All Wrapped Up

Wrapped Up

            Warren glares at Gambit, horrified at what he's been forced to remember.  He lunges at the young man, his hands gripping Gambit's throat viciously.  "You knew and you never said a damned word?!"

            "I didn' realize it was you!  Your wings had been mutilated and regrown so many times, I had no idea!" Gambit gasps through agonizing breaths.  He tries to pry Warren's hands away.  "Please!  Lemme go!"

            Warren just chokes him harder.  "And Sarah!  What happened to Sarah?"

            "Sinister had a bunch o' men destroy all dem Morlocks!  T'was a massacre!" Gambit feels ready to pass out.  He goes limp in Warren's hands.

            Donovan/Rogue grabs Warren's arms.  "Don't, Warren.  Y' can't hurt him cuz he was won over by a monster.  There had to be a reason why he did what he did."

            Warren glares at her with hate filled eyes.  "You killed Donovan.  You're as much of a monster as Mr. Sinister is!"

            Rogue/Mandy laughs mirthlessly.  "Donovan was just a weak minded, easily swayed puppet.  You asked her to do anything and she jumped at the chance to show off or kiss ass.  You're better off without her as a pawn."

            Donovan/Rogue forces Warren to let Gambit go by twisting his wrists and pulling him away.  Kitty hurries to his side to help him up.  "You okay?"

            "I be ok, _p'tite.  Nothin' more'n I deserved," Gambit says quietly.  He shakes his head._

            "That's how you thought of Donny?" Donovan/Rogue asks.  "Then why pretend t' love her?  Use her the way y' did?  She loved you more'n life itself.  An' y' just used her.  Why?"

            "She got me killed!  I wanted to do everything for her and she ran off.  To protect me, she said.  If she had just taken me with her in the first place, we could have had such a great life together!"  Rogue/Mandy rants.

            Donovan/Rogue shakes her head and jumps at Rogue/Mandy.  "What kind of life would you have had?  Neither of you had your had yer diplomas, no money… nothing!  Donny wanted to save you from a miserable life so that she could provide you with a better one when she was able!"

            They tumble to the ground together then.  Donovan/Rogue manages to pin Rogue/Mandy down and they stare at each other for a minute.  Before either can say anything, Warren tears them apart.  He glares at them all, holding both girls by their collars and facing Gambit.  "I don't know who to hate more.  The boy responsible for my torture and loss of memory, the woman who killed one of my best friends, or the woman who drove her to doing it and making me see all the pain and suffering people are capable of inflicting."

"Warren, stop this," Donovan/Rogue says.  "We can handle this.  I'm sorry for this…"

"That's not Rogue's voice…" Rogue/Mandy says suddenly.  She tries to yank away from Warren but Donovan/Rogue grabs her by the front of the shirt.  She pushes Warren away as she turns to stone.

"Not again…" Kitty groans.  She sees Cyclops and Colossus approaching them.  "Uh oh…"

"Kitty?  What are you doing out here?" Cyclops demands.  He sees the two women in stone and Warren grabbing Gambit by the throat.  "What the hell is going on?"

Colossus pulls Warren away from Gambit.  "You have some explaining to do, Mr. Worthington."

"This boy is responsible for the deaths of dozens of mutants!" Warren shouts.  He struggles against Colossus' powerful grip.  "The people living under the sewers!"

Cyclops shakes his head in frustration.  "Kitty, explain what's going on.  I don't care why you're here as long as you know what's happening."

DONOVAN'S MIND:

            _You tricked me!  Mandy screams mentally.  She glares at Donovan and Rogue.  __How did you survive? How can two minds coexist when there is nothing to hold the extra down?_

_            Don't matter, Mandy.  Y' gonna gimme back mah body an' yer gonna leave Donny alone, Rogue says angrily.  She's had enough of this madness._

            Mandy sneers.  _You can't just make me go away.  As a psychic, I can anchor myself to Donovan forever and there's nothing you can do about it._

_            Donovan doesn't take part in the argument.  She just stares at the two young women.  Rogue looks at Donovan.  __Donny held onto me.  Made sure that Ah wouldn't leave her…_

_            Mandy practically screams her rage.  She lunges at Rogue and knocks her down.  __If you die here in Donovan's head, your body dies, too.  It's possible to kill if you know the right way…And I know it!_

_            Help! Rogue cries.__ Donny, please… y' heard how she feels about ya.  She reaches for Donovan again as Mandy's hands tighten around her throat._

            Donovan grabs Mandy and tears her back away from Rogue.  Rogue steps back as Donovan spins and throws Mandy as hard as she can.  Mandy flies out of sight with nothing to stop her.  Donovan turns to face Rogue.  _You have to get out of here._

_            What about Mandy? Rogue asks._

            _She's not going anywhere, Rogue.  She has to stay in my mind.  You go back to your body and you'll be fine._

_            Rogue gazes into Donovan's eyes.  She sees the sadness there and knows what's happening.  __You're gonna stay here…Stay in stone._

_            I have to.  It's the only way to keep Mandy from hurting anyone else, Donovan says softly.  She holds out a hand.  __I'm sorry for all of this.  I had no idea she was still in my head… that any of this was happening._

            Rogue throws her arms around Donovan.  _These X-Men folks got mind readers and doctors and stuff.  They can help you.  Y' don't gotta be stone forever!_

_            Donovan holds Rogue tightly.  __When I turn flesh again, make sure you're in your own body.  You'll know it when you feel it._

            _No!  It ain't fair! Rogue shouts.  She leans up and kisses Donovan deeply.  She doesn't feel the kiss but she feels the emotion shared between them.  She sighs.  __Stay with me.  Ah need you._

_            Donovan, you'll pay for this! Mandy's thought travels to them.  It sounds faint so Donovan figures she has plenty of time to save Rogue.  She concentrates on changing her status again._

THE CLEARING:

            Donovan's stone shell cracks and breaks open.  Rogue shakes her head and throws herself into Donovan's arms.  "Freeze!" Cyclops snaps, holding a hand against his visor threateningly.

            "Don't hurt her!" Jennifer shouts.  She pushes Cyclops aside.  His optic blast hits a nearby tree.  "Didn't you hear a damn thing said to you?  Donny's not the bad guy here.  I'm not even the bad guy anymore, which is weird as it is.  Back off and get your mental midget out here to kill off that girl that's in Donny's head!"

            "No!" Donovan gasps.  She sees Marvel Girl heading toward them.  Cyclops had called the cavalry in apparently.  "You can't kill her.  Please…"

            Rogue bursts into tears.  Donovan looks at her sadly.  "I'm sorry, Rogue.  But maybe something can be done to help her.  She's only crazy because of what happened to her.  If she could be helped…"

            Donovan suddenly lurches forward as Marvel Girl uses her psychic ability to shut down her mind.  Rogue tries to hold onto her but Donovan is too heavy and they both crash to the ground.  "What'd y' do that for?"

            "If we're to do anything, we need to take her to Professor Xavier.  He'll be able to do something for her, I'm sure," Marvel Girl replies.  "Marvel Girl to Wolverine, do you read this transmission?"

            "I hear ya, Red.  Sabretooth punked out and ran off.  Almost at yer location," Wolverine snarls into his communicator.

            "Meet at the Blackbird.  We've got everything under control here," Cyclops cuts in.

            Warren crosses his arms.  "I'm not going anywhere till I know that this little punk gets what's coming to him," he glares at Gambit.  "And what about the pilot of the plane we took to get here?"

            "Slaughtered.  We found the plane on our way to getting Hank some help," Marvel Girl says, paling at the thought of the gruesome scene she had come across.  "You'd better get back with us."

            "And me?" Jennifer asks, almost afraid to know.  "I know I need to pay for my crimes…" she looks at Donovan, surprised at the impact Donovan has had on her conscious.  "What do you need me to do?"

            "You're to come to our base for questioning and then turned in to the proper authorities," Cyclops replies.  Colossus picks up Donovan.  "Let's go."

            "Y' can't leave me!" Rogue exclaims.  She touches Donovan's cheek.  "She needs someone t' be there when she wakes up…"

            Cyclops nods.  "You're coming as well.  We're going to wrap this mystery up once and for all.  And to do that, we need all the pieces of the puzzle."


	11. Where To Go From Here

Where To Go From Here

            _How could you do this to me? Mandy demands, glaring at Donovan.  __I loved you, took care of you even when you had no idea I existed, and did everything I could to protect you.  How can you just abandon everything I've fought to develop with you?_

            Donovan has tears running down her cheeks.  She is surprised that she can cry on the Astral Plane.  She looks away from Mandy, whose rage has transformed her from a beautiful young woman to a demonic figure.  _You used me.  You wanted me to do bad things so that you could be free of my mind.  But I didn't put you there._

            _Of course you didn't.  I did so that you would never forget me.  So that you would always remember what I sacrificed for you, Mandy snarls.  __And even that barely kept you out of that Southern girl's panties._

            Donovan clenches her fists.  _Don't talk about Rogue that way.  She never wanted to be involved in any of this.  You did this to yourself._

            Mandy tries to attack Donovan but her mind is torn from the Astral Plane before Mandy can hurt her.  She opens her eyes and sees Rogue sitting on the edge of the hospital bed she's lying on.  "Where am I?"

            "The X-Men's headquarters.  They're tryin' t' figure out how t' get Mandy outta yer head without killin' her," Rogue says.  "How're ya feelin'?"

            "Well enough to not be confined to a hospital bed," Donovan says.  She starts to get up but feels dizzy.  She lies down again.  "What's the matter with me?"

            Rogue frowns.  "The head master o' the school said that yer gonna be groggy till he gets the Mandy thing taken care of.  So you can't interfere."

            "What?" Donovan roars.  "He can't do that! He's messing with my head!  How dare he decide what goes on there!"

            "Donny, he's tryin' t' separate the two o' you…" Rogue says softly.  "Granger worked with him t' make a robot body for her.  It's her punishment, Ah guess.  She ain't a robot no more, either.  After Mandy's outta your head, maybe she won't be crazy no more, they think."

            Donovan sighs in relief.  She doesn't see the anguish in Rogue's green, tear-filled eyes.  Rogue gets up.  "Ah guess you're gonna be okay.  Ah just wanted t' make sure y' knew what was goin' on," with that, Rogue gets up to walk away.

            "Wait, Rogue," Donovan murmurs.  Rogue stops and looks over at her, her wavy hair falling in front of her face, hiding the pain.  Donovan reaches out a hand.  "Would you stay with me?  I can't bear to be alone like this.  I'm… scared…"

            Rogue's eyes widen.  "Scared?" she moves back to the bed.  "Why scared?"

            "I have no control over what happens to me.  I've always had someone thinking for me, I just never knew it.  Before Mandy was in my head, my parents wanted nothing more than for me to get top marks and go on to a good school.  I never cared about that, though.  I just wanted to write.  But I got scholarships in mathematics so I was going to college to be an accountant.  I hated it but that's what my parents wanted."

            "Y' remember..?" Rogue asks.

            Donovan nods.  "I remember a lot now.  I think Mandy wants to torture me with what she'd been keeping from me."

            "An' that's how she was controllin' ya," Rogue says.  She heaves a sigh of sadness.

            "Yeah.  When Mandy's gone, I'll have to think for myself for the first time ever.  I'll have to make my own decisions.  I don't think I can handle that.  I need someone to tell me what to do… who I am."

            Rogue brushes a stray strand of hair away from Donovan's eyes.  "Y' know who y' are?" she asks.  Donovan shakes her head.  "Yer Donovan Milady.  Yer a good, kind, courageous, sad girl with a big heart.  Y' make more people happy than y' could ever know.  Warren stayed here even though he was pissed that the X-Men weren't gonna do nothin' t' Gambit after some Morlock Massacre thing.  Cuz he's yer friend and cares about ya."

            "He's my friend because Mandy let me be the kind of person she wanted me to be and it just so happened to be someone that Warren could be friends with," Donovan groans.  "I hate this.  I hate feeling like this.  I hate not being my own person."

            "Be yer own person with me," Rogue says suddenly.  She looks deep into Donovan's eyes.  "Y' made me realize that there's something worth carin' about.  An' that had t' be you.  Had t' be.  Mandy wouldn'ta made ya treat me so good.  Yer folks wouldn'ta, either, Ah reckon.  That had ta be you.  Yer good heart.  Yer lovin' heart…"

            Besides the kiss they had shared in Donovan's mind, Rogue had never let on that she felt anything more than friendship.  And even that had been a moment of closeness that would have driven any two people into that kind of embrace.

            Before Donovan can respond, Rogue runs from the room.  Donovan wants to go after her but she is still far too dizzy to do anything but shout for Rogue to come back.  Jennifer walks into the room and frowns sadly.  "I was going to ask how you were doing but my guess is not so good."

            "How'd you guess?" Donovan is surprised at seeing Jennifer without the faulty machinery attached to her.  "So, you're on the side of the angels now?"

            Jennifer laughs mirthlessly.  "You wish.  I just figured it's more profitable to not be hunted as the biggest mutant bounty hunter in the free world.  Build up my brownie points by chilling with the X-Men, maybe some work at Ryker's…"

            "What's Ryker's?"  Donovan asks.

            "You live in a cave?" Jennifer raises her eyebrows.  "It's only the most advanced super powered criminal detainment facility in the whole world.  And what they wouldn't pay to have a person there who can shut down another mutant's powers!"

            Donovan actually laughs.  "You never cease to amaze me, Granger.  What the hell is money, anyway?  An excuse for people to do terrible things."

            "Easy for you to say, Donny.  You've never known what it's like to need money bad enough to do anything for it.  It makes the world go 'round," Jennifer says, starting to get annoyed.  "I did what I had to do and now I'm starting to get ahead.  I have no regrets."

            Donovan sighs.  "You're leaving, then?"

            "Yeah.  Turn in my robotics and got me a 'get out of jail free' card.  I'm out of here on the first plane to San Francisco," Jennifer said.

            "That's where Ryker's is?" Donovan asked.

            Jennifer shakes her head.  "No.  I just have some business to attend to there.  Old promises and what not.  I'll be in New York after that.  You should look me up when you don't have that psycho attached to you."

            Donovan glowers at Jennifer.  "She's not a psycho.  Just… upset, being dead and all."

            Jennifer shakes her head and smiles.  "See you around, Donny.  I'm sorry for hurting you the way that I have… but maybe a little 'Southern Comfort' will make it all better, hm?"

            Donovan watches Jennifer leave and feels relived to be alone, even though she knows she's not truly alone.  She closes her eyes, wanting to go back into her head and to confront Mandy.  She needs to know why Mandy's the way she is.  She needs to understand what's going on.

            "I can help you with that, you know," a deep voice says.  Donovan looks up and sees an older, bald man in a wheelchair.  He is smiling but it is more friendly than happy.  "Mandy Harper's mind is clinging to yours desperately.  You'd think that she'd want her own body, even if it's not exactly human.  But she doesn't want to leave you."

            "She wants to run my life.  To make up for not having one of her own for so long," Donovan says miserably.

            The man nods.  "I need you to relax.  This is going to be the last session and you need to be fully alert for it.  The other times, you've been in a semi-conscious state with no awareness of our conversations.  Mandy is very angry but I need you with me to get her out of your mind.  You do want her gone, right?"

            "I do…" Donovan knows that she needs to be her own person.  She's afraid but it's the only way to make things right.

            "Good…" the man replies.  "Lie back… and close your eyes…"

DONOVAN'S MIND:

            _Mandy… it's Professor Charles Xavier again.  Donovan and I would really like to talk to you, the man says.  He is standing upright, rather than being in a wheelchair._

            Mandy launches herself at Donovan again.  Donovan and Mandy fall together for quite a distance before Xavier's mental abilities catch them and separate them.  Donovan stands away from Mandy.  _What's happened to you?_

            _I'm never going to just be a machine!  You want to be separated so bad, you live inside that cold, metal shell!  Mandy shrieks.  She looks at Xavier.  __And you think you can drive me out?  You think you're little therapy sessions are enough to loosen the holds that I've developed here?  I've been living in someone's brain far too long for some mental moron with delusions of grandeur to just rip me away._

_            The bitterness and hate is more than Donovan can bear.  She looks at Xavier.  __Get her out of my head.  Now._

_            You have to do it.  You have to be assertive enough to take back your mind, Xavier says.  __I'm just here to help you through it.  You have to force her out._

_            She can't do it, egg head, Mandy laughs.  __She's weak.  Mindless.  If it weren't for me, there'd be nothing up here but stupid trivia.  She knows things of the world now that she'd never had experienced if it wasn't for me!_

_            Donovan wants to cry.  This isn't Mandy.  If it was, she could handle the girl living in her mind.  Mandy would've loved the closeness and the sharing involved.  This isn't Mandy and that knowledge gives Donovan the strength to do what she has to do._

            _This is my mind.  No one controls me but me, Donovan begins, stepping toward Mandy.  Mandy's expression of triumph fades as Donovan gets closer.  __You're not the woman I fell in love with.  Mandy died trying to show me her devotion and love.  You've done nothing but bring me pain and anguish.  You've done this to yourself, Mandy.  Now it's time for you to join your physical form, wherever that may be._

_            Donovan concentrates as hard as she can on freeing her mind from Mandy's hundreds of holds she has placed in her mind.  She feels them weakening.  __That's it, Donovan.  That's it!  You've almost got her.  She knows where to go if she wants to live.  Just drive her out.  The next part of the journey is her decision.  You're the one in control of your own mind, Xavier tells her, encouraging her, guiding her, and giving her the courage to finally drive Mandy out of Donovan's head for good._

            Mandy screams.  _How could you do this to me?  I loved you!  You loved me!  You let me die and now I'm being punished?  How dare you?  How dare you?!  Mandy's words echo dimly in her mind as the girl disappears._

            Donovan drops to her knees, the mental exertion much more than she can handle.  She looks up at Xavier.  _You did well, Donovan.  I'm very proud of you…_

_            I don't need you to be proud of me… Donovan says bitterly.  __I need you to get me the hell out of here._

THE XAVIER SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED:

            Donovan doesn't wake up for another week.  When she does, she is groggy and doesn't recognize anyone around her.  She can't eat or drink anything.  She falls in and out of conscious for another month.  She hears voices nearby but can't figure out who they belong to.  She just cries when she's awake and whimpers in her sleep.

            Rogue doesn't leave her side.  She strokes Donovan's hair and tells her about everything that's been going on.  She talks about Warren having to leave for work again but promising to come back to get Donovan if she needs to leave.  She talks about Mandy staying in the robot's body but not long and finally disappearing forever.  She talks about Gambit's incessant flirting.  She talks about Beast and Storm's recovery.  Neither of them blames Donovan for anything.  Rogue begs for Donovan to wake up.

            Donovan finally does wake up.  She sees Rogue asleep in the chair beside her bed, her wavy auburn hair a crazy mess and unruly white streak adding a certain allure.  Donovan reaches out and touches Rogue's hair.  She doesn't know anything that has happened, even though Rogue has been telling her everything.  She just knows, for some reason, that Rogue has been by her side the whole time.  And despite all the insanity that has happened, that is all that really matters.

            "Rogue…" Donovan whispers, gently touching Rogue's cheek.  "Rogue-honey… wake up."

            Rogue's pretty green eyes flutter open.  She gasps.  "Donny, yer awake!" she pauses.  "Holy smokes… y' touched me!"

            Donovan smiles.  "Yeah.  Had me a hell of a power nap, let me tell you.  And because my skin isn't exactly organic, your power can't register my touch."

            They both laugh, happy to be together and not thinking about the terrible events that have passed.  They just enjoy each other's company for a few minutes.

            Finally, though, things must be discussed.  "So.. is Mandy..?" Donovan starts.

            "Yeah," Rogue knows that Mandy's death was hard the first time but having to have to go through it again must be hell.  "Y' were right, though… She did come t' her senses when she got outta yer head.  She was crazy cuz of the lack of substantiality or somethin' from bein' in yer head so long.  Once she realized what was wrong, she jus' disappeared."

            Donovan nods.  "Maybe that's for the best.  Living in my head wasn't how we meant for things to be."

            "Ah don't think that would be good for any couple," Rogue agrees.  She looks at Donovan.  "About what Ah said b'fore y' went out again… Look, Ah was jus' bein' kinda weird.  Y' didn't have t' take that t' heart…"

            "I did, though…" Donovan says.  "I called for you to come back.  I want to share things with you.  It's just a bit much for right now.  But I'd like you to stay with me.  I have a great place in Boston, a good job, and plenty of room.  If we take things slow, I'm sure things would be great."

            Rogue's heart soars.  She throws her arms around Donovan and kisses her passionately, as she had done while in Donovan's mind.  This time, they feel the touch and sensation as well as the emotion.

            Donovan will always love Mandy.  Nothing will ever change that.  But she will always love the memory of the sweet girl who didn't understand Shakespeare so long ago.  And that is a fond memory that Donovan wouldn't trade for all the money in the world, which sets her apart from Jennifer, who Donovan decides is probably the last person she should look up if ever in New York.


End file.
